Getting 2 year old into their own room/bed

onlyroz

I had the same with my daughter. In the end it came down to which one of us was the most stubborn. I would put her back into bed again and again and again (x 100), each time with no eye contact and no sound. It wasn't easy - probably took about a week - but she got the idea in the end. She's now 2.5 and sleeps in her own bed without a bed-rail, and no stair gate.

[Deleted User]

Kids are oportunists (sp) and i dont blame them as we learn from what we are taught. Right, wrong, good and bad.

Having said that adults who make mistakes for whatever reason are still learning themselves...........I hold up my hand to that! Dont blame yourself OP, kids esp the first one are the major learning curve and i know this one is your second, but each child is different and maybe your first was the easier personality.

soup

Eat lots of sprouts 6 hrs before bed, your farty sulphery room will have her running back to her own bed pronto.

KiKi

Becles wrote: »

Talk to her during the day about how pleased you will be if she stays in bed all night. Say she's a big girl now and doesn't need to come in with you. That gets the idea in her head when she's alert.

Be firm the first time she gets up. Pick her up, put her into bed, explain it's bedtime and she has to stay in bed, then ignore her.

If she gets out again, pick her up with no speaking or eye contact and put her back and leave. Ignore twisty crying as it's just attention seeking.

It may take several attempts the first couple if nights but it will sink in fairly quickly. If they are getting no attention from you, they soon get bored and stop in bed.

Absolutely seconded.

Do not enter into *any* conversation, negotiation or responding to her. Simply "no, it's bedtime now" and no other words at all. Don't answer questions or get involved, it's their way of beginning a negotiation!

It may be - sorry to say - that you have to do this 50 times or more the first night. But the main thing is that you don't give in. If you do it 50 times then give in and let her sleep with you, she knows she can do that again the next night.

It may feel a bit cruel, or you might feel neglectful, but it's not hurting your child. Simply stating the boundaries.

The next morning, don't make any comment at all if she was bad in the night. But if she was good, praise her a lot. She'll soon learn. You can do it in a week AS LONG AS you stick to it and don't let your own tiredness take precedence and give into her.

HTH
KiKi

daveyjp

Stairgate - what a good idea, turn your child's room into a prison cell!

Children know nothing, they learn by being taught. Take them to bed and if they get out, put them back and sit by the door until they realise their own bed is where they should be - lots of praise when they get it right. It may be a pain for a few days/weeks for you as a parent, but it will click eventually.

JoJoB

My DD slept in out room till she was two - I decided sleep was most important and would deal with the sleeping in own room when she could understand more.

Had a few nights of walking her back to bed when she decided to go wandering - found that a cuddle and settling down again worked best, if i ignored she would go ballistic and end up in a state.

But best method of all I'm ashamed to say, was chocolate bribery. Her first full night in her own bed was achieved by my promising her a chocolate egg if she stayed in her own bed until morning. It got her into the routine then we tailed off the chocolate!

keelykat

Hi We've had a similar problem with our little boy, once the sides came off his cot bed-he realised he could get out when he wanted. We put up a gate to begin with, but the cheeky thing learnt how to open it! So off came the gate, and we have had to persist at putting him back in bed again and again till he stayed in bed and went to sleep.

Don't say anything if possible, go in and put him back in bed-quietly and calmly as possible (although i know it can be very frustrating when they keep getting up). Also keep the room dark-so if they do wake up it is still dark (my son kept waking up early morning once it started getting lighter-so we brought new curtains that made the room darker).

Good luck- you will get there in the end!

keely.

Suzanne_Louise

Becles wrote: »

Talk to her during the day about how pleased you will be if she stays in bed all night. Say she's a big girl now and doesn't need to come in with you. That gets the idea in her head when she's alert.

Be firm the first time she gets up. Pick her up, put her into bed, explain it's bedtime and she has to stay in bed, then ignore her.

If she gets out again, pick her up with no speaking or eye contact and put her back and leave. Ignore twisty crying as it's just attention seeking.

It may take several attempts the first couple if nights but it will sink in fairly quickly. If they are getting no attention from you, they soon get bored and stop in bed.

We do this, and it actually worked a lot better last night! Her night light arrived yesterday, which also helped. Thanks for the advice. Onwards and upwards!!!

GPark

Becles wrote: »

Talk to her during the day about how pleased you will be if she stays in bed all night. Say she's a big girl now and doesn't need to come in with you. That gets the idea in her head when she's alert.

Be firm the first time she gets up. Pick her up, put her into bed, explain it's bedtime and she has to stay in bed, then ignore her.

If she gets out again, pick her up with no speaking or eye contact and put her back and leave. Ignore twisty crying as it's just attention seeking.

It may take several attempts the first couple if nights but it will sink in fairly quickly. If they are getting no attention from you, they soon get bored and stop in bed.

We did this with ds1, the first night was horrendous took 2 hours and he got up 59 times, the second night he got up 36 times and the third night 19 times BUT by the end of the week he was sleeping in his own bed all night. He now sleeps 7 till 7 in his own bed every night, the only time we hear him is if he has a nightmare then we will go in calm him down and then leave and he goes back to sleep without any problem.